Pahang says no to AFC Cup spot

In the latest twist to a Malaysian team in the 2018 AFC Cup competition, The Elephants will not be sending their team in.

It is looking increasingly likely that Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) could be Malaysia's only representative in the 2018 AFC Cup competition.

After Kedah was denied a AFC Club Licence that is required to compete in the competition, the spot was given to Pahang, who themselves have declined the chance to participate in the second tier Asia-level cup competition.

In a statement released on Tuesday afternoon, Pahang Football Association said that while they acknowledged receipt of the invitation, they would decline the offer to pour their entire focus in domestic matters.

On one hand, it's a disappointment to see a Malaysian team decline the opportunity to participate in a higher level competition but on the other hand, the financial consideration cannot be overlooked. Should Pahang deemed their financial resources not sufficient for them to compete in the AFC Cup, then it would make sense not to join just for the sake of it.

There however could be ramification from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on the pull-out. The regulations stipulates that should a team from a Member Association (MA) decline to participate, AFC reserve the rights to give the spot to another MA. Which could mean that JDT could be Malaysia's sole representative in next year's competition, should they not make it to the AFC Champions League.